Anyone can identify plants – with the “Flora incognita” app

The application “Flora Incognita” is the first of its kind to use artificial intelligence for plant identification. It uses similar mechanisms for picture processing and pattern recognition that are also employed for face recognition. With this app, taxonomical knowledge on plants becomes available to people of all age groups, even without any prior botanical experience. The project carrying the same name now enters a second phase as well: the German environmental ministry is funding the continuation of “Flora Incognita” with 2.38 million euros until 2024. The funding is located in the national program for biological diversity and is supported by the federal office for nature conservation (BfN) as regards content.

The head of the federal environmental ministry, Svenja Schulze said about the project that, “it gives us a possibility to use the benefits of artificial intelligence for assistance in maintaining biological diversity. Professional knowledge from thick, heavy books becomes or experts is transferred to everyone, wherever they are, on the balcony, in the garden or strolling through the park or forest. More than 3000 native fern and flowering plant species can easily be identified digitally by this app, which will motivate us to explore our natural environment”.

The app allows anyone to identify and find further information on plant species by simply taking a photo of a plant’s flower and leaf. Data can further be used for extensive mapping and monitoring of the botanical landscape.

Prof. Dr. Beate Jessel, president of the BfN says: “We hope that this projects animates more people to concern themselves with different species and to bring in their own knowledge. We need support from citizen science and professional, honorary mappers to properly document and evaluate the state of our flora. The innovative combination of digital identification and the reporting function of this project will contribute substantially to our data situation concerning flora.”

This project is a continuation based on previous findings and results of the research and execution project “Flora Incognita”, which was conducted between 2014 and 2019 and funded by the environmental ministry. The corresponding app as well as the “Flora Capture App” were first published in early 2018 and the new “Flora Key App” will be published in the near future. Furthermore, the precision of detection will be enhanced and the current inventory of about 1600 species of Central Germany will be expanded to include more than 3000 species that can be found in all of Germany. Additionally, ornamental and garden plants will be included as well.
Within the scope of the project it will be investigated, which criteria are relevant for identification through artificial intelligence with the assistance of botanical expert associations. A profile with relevant information on, for example, distribution and conservation status will be created for all species. This information will be taken from the internet portal floraweb.de and wisia.de, which are both run by the BfN.
In the future, the project aims to provide information on more specific subjects such as the occurrence of invasive alien species, documentation of seasonal phenotypes or the documentation of plant diseases. Together with agencies, botanical expert associations and other members or groups of the scientific community a harmonized methodology for detection will be developed in order to facilitate access to the generated data for these interest groups.

Source (German): https://www.bmu.de/pressemitteilung/flora-incognita-digitale-pflanzenbestimmung-fuer-alle/